My Name is Ursa
by Sillva
Summary: This story is set after the events of Avatar: The Last Airbender The Search. After her fateful reunion with her long lost mother. Azula's mind is still in shambles and the only thing she can think to do is run. Follow her on her journey to restore her sanity and find a new life.
1. Prologue

**Notes: Hello everyone and welcome to My Name is Ursa. This is my 2nd story set in the Avatar universe and my first story to feature a completely first person perspective. I usually use a third person perspective since I normally have a large cast of characters to work with. However for this story I wanted to bring the scale down and tell a much more personal story.**

 **Azula has always be one of my favorite characters to read fiction for since she never really had real closure. So I really wanted to do my own take on her journey of redemption. This is a story I have been rolling around in my head for some time and I finally figured out where I wanted to go with it and before I knew it I had written up a storm.**

 **I really hope you all enjoy and even if you don't I would love to hear your thoughts and feedback.**

* * *

 **My Name is Ursa**

 **POV Princess Azula**

Air. Water. Earth. Fire. long ago, the four nations lived separately in endless turmoil. Then everything changed when the Fire Nation set out to share its glory with the rest of the world. Only the Avatar, master of all four elements, would be arrogant enough to try to stop us, but his cowardice proved too great, and he hid himself away. A hundred years passed and our goal was nearly within our grasp but a waterbender named Katara and her oafish brother Sokka discovered the new Avatar, an airbender named Aang. Although his airbending skills were passable, he had a lot to learn before he was ready to face us. But from the first day they met him, they believed Aang would save the world. What a joke right? That's at least what I thought back then. Though despite the odds being stacked against them, with the help of his friends, Aang defeated my father Fire Lord Ozai and ended the Hundred Year War. My dear brother Zuko, became the new Fire Lord. Together with Earth King Kuei, Aang and Zuko promised to return the nations to harmony. Of course none of that has anything to do with me anymore.

You see ever since my defeat at the hands of that waterbending wench Katara and my brother during the return of Sozin's Comet at the end of the war, I have been locked away in an intuition. They kept calling me insane and longer I stayed there the more I began to think that maybe they were right. I started to think that I did belong there. But then a few months ago Zuko paid me a visit. He offered me my freedom in exchange for helping him find our mother Ursa. I couldn't help but wonder if it was really I who was crazy. Ursa only thought of me as a monster. She was the one who abandoned us. Why would he want to find that women so desperately? In the end his reasons didn't matter, I would take my chance at freedom. I would find our mother and when I did, I would make her pay.

* * *

 **Southern Earth Kingdom Countryside**

At least that's what I thought at the time. However in the end I just couldn't do it. I was too weak to face her. I ran away and then I just kept running. I don't even know where I'm running to anymore. I mean it's not as if I have a home I can return to. Half the world wants to see my head on a pike and the rest want to see me striped of everything and locked away to be forgotten just like my foolish father. Of course it's not like I have much left for them to take. There's nobody left in this world who understands me. There's no one who I can trust. I am alone.

Really though how long have I been walking anyway? I never really thought to keep track of such things in the past. I always had such clear goals in mind before. And before when I traveled long distances I would at least have the distraction of Mei's constant complaints and Ty Lee's cheery ramblings.

Realizing my mind was getting away from me again I shook it violently to clear it. The last thing I needed to be thinking about was those two traitors. Once my thoughts settled I let out a long sigh and glanced around the roared I was traveling along. There wasn't a home or another traveler in sight. "I really am all alone aren't I?" I ask myself in a somber tone. Then after a moment of silence I let out another exasperated sigh. "Yeah, that's what I thought."

Then almost on queue a disembodied voice called out to me. _ **"That's not true Azula, you will always have your mother."**_ The voice was unmistakably that of my mother. However I knew better by now.

I felt a fist clench and I knew a flicker of anger spread across my face before I spun around to yell into empty space where voice had spawned from. "Shut up! You're not my mother! You're nothing more than a specter!"

" _ **Azula, you wound your mother. When will you let me in?"**_ The specter asked in a somber tone as the space in front of me began to flicker and take the form of my mother. However it was not the aged woman who I had met a few months ago. No, it was the mother who had haunted me for years. It was the same one who had abandoned me all those years ago and the one who had tormented me on the day of Sozin's Comet.

"You have nothing to offer me specter! You have given me only nightmares! Now leave me be!" I roar.

The imposter only smiled sadly at me before pointing to my clothing. _**"Perhaps I could at least offer some motherly advice. No proper man will ever want you if you go around dressed like a common peasant girl. Why are you wearing such a thing?"**_ She asks in a condescending tone.

My 'mothers' inquire caused me to instinctively glance down at the dirty and tattered Earth Kingdom garment I was dressed in and when the image of the raggedy garment is reflected in my eyes I can't help but grimace. "It's disgusting I'll emit however it is a disguise. With this I will be able to blend right in with the rest of these dirty Earth Kingdom peasants." I responded dryly.

Which was true, it certainly did help me go unnoticed. Even when somebody would notice me they would try to avoid me at all costs. And I couldn't say that I would blame them, I would do the same if I were in their position. However the reason for my dresses current condition was a bit more complicated then that. I've actually been trying to avoid large cities and villages as much as possible. This is because a large city or village normally means that there is a large number of people. And the more people there are, the more likely it would be for somebody to recognize me. And of course finding decent clothing elsewhere has proven quite difficult. Also the fact that I have no money doesn't help matters I suppose.

The specter however didn't seem pleased with my explanation. Fortunately she didn't seem interested in pressing the matter and just gave me her usual disapproving glare while I continued on my way. I had been traveling along the same dirt roar for what seems like days now. Everything looked so similar out here that I was beginning to think that I might have turned back on myself somewhere a long the way. So I was relieved when I finally spotted a new land mark along the roar. A little bit ahead of me was a fork in the roar and poster board in between it. I slowly walked up to inspect the poster board and quickly realize that it had listings for wanted criminals. A slight grimace came over my features when I notice that all most all of the fugitives were of Fire Nation heritage. And what was even more displeasing was the fact that my poster was among them. I quickly reach out and plucked my poster from the board to inspect it more closely. I let out a scoff as I look at my supposed likeness. "They got my eyebrows all wrong. They are much shaper than this." I complain before looking down at the offered reward for my capture. "Wow look at all those zeros, Zuzu must really want my head bad if he's offering this much gold. I'm half tempted to turn myself in for that price." I say while letting out a laugh.

" _ **I'm sure your brother just wants to see you get home safe and sound honey."**_ The specter assures me.

Not that I for one minute buy that Zuzu really cared about my wellbeing but, it did at least say I was wanted alive. So I supposed there could be some merit to it, if only because of the fact that my dear brother was completely obsessed with his honor and his strange sense of justice. "Well it doesn't really matter, I'm not going back. And I won't let anyone take me. I would rather die than become his prisoner again." I declare to myself as sparks begin to jump from my finger tips and light the poster on fire. Then I quickly toss the burning parchment aside and watch as it's instantly engulfed in bright blue flames and reduced to ashes. As I watch the small fire crackle I can feel a small smile creep its way onto my lips and it wasn't hard to figure out why. My blue flames were once my proudest achievement after all. My blue fire burns hotter than any other and my greatest joy had always been displaying its destructive power to others whether they were friend or foe was irrelevant. However now things were different, my blue flames were a symbol of the world's enemy. So using them now would give my identity away in an instant. I couldn't afford that, so I have had no choice but to draw back the power of my firebending in front of others. And bending in front of others in general has become a fairly rare assurance. So I have tried to saver these small moments when I'm able to use my bending freely, no matter how fleeting they may be.

A moment later and the blue flame finally burned out leaving nothing but a blacked circle on the side of the road and I was finally broken out of my thoughts when the specter called out to me once again. _**"So where are we going now?"**_

"I don't know, I guess this way." I grumbled as I pointed down one of the branching paths on the dirt road I have been following and begun on my way down the chosen path.

The specter's face suddenly lit up with what I could only assume was excitement. It wasn't an expression my mother showed me often as a child that is for sure. _**"Oh, we're heading west! Are we finally returning home?"**_ It asked.

I let out anther sigh and slump forward before responding. "No, we're not. We're close to the ocean now, so I figured we could follow the coastline for awhile. Maybe catch some fish and if I'm lucky find some work with a crew of high risk traders."

The specter then gave me a worried expression. _**"What do you mean by high risk traders? Are you talking about pirates!? You know those types of people are dangerous Azula!"**_

I shrug. "Hey you got to work to eat and pirates pay quite well from what I've heard. And of course there's also no need for documentation and best of all they don't ask a lot of questions." I explained. With that said I did have some concerns. It was true that pirates weren't in the business of asking questions and would take just about anyone who was capable. However in most cases they wouldn't think twice about selling out one of their own if the pay off was good enough. And of course thanks to my dear brother, they would have all the motivation they would need. However it was a risk I would have to take if I ever wanted any hope building a new life.

Wait, a new life? Is that what I really wanted? No, what I wanted was my old life back. I wanted my title, and my throne. I wanted my birthright and all the fear and respect that came along with it! Of course no matter how much you want something it won't make it yours. I no longer have any means of returning things to the way they once were. And that meant that a completely new life was the only path that was left open to me now. With that said, what would I do from now on? Surely I the great Azula, Princess of the Fire Nation and master of the blue flame wouldn't spend the rest of her days living in squallier! No of course not, surely there is some place out there where I can achieve the glory I deserve. I know it's out there and I know I will find it some how but until then I go west.

* * *

The following day I finally arrived in a small port city known as Beiling. And I want to emphasize the word 'small' here. The fact that it was even called a city was an oddity considering the fact that it only consisted of fifteen or so buildings and didn't show up on most maps. Of course this was likely due to the fact that it had only sprung up a few years ago right after the war had ended. Based on the information I was able to gather on the way here it was mostly created by a noble Earth Nation family from a city known as Goaling which was located only a few days south of here. I had considered going to Goaling instead sense it was more likely to suit my need but then I would be breaking my rule. Goaling being located right in between the southern water tribe and the Earth Kingdom has made a bustling hub of comers. And that meant that there would be a lot of people, too many people. So Beiling it was.

As I marched my way into the city I tried my best to keep a good amount of distance between myself and other people until I reached the docks. When I arrived the first thing I noticed was the smell. _**"Ah the smell of the sea, it always reminds me of our trips to the Ember Islands when you were little."**_ The specter chimed in.

"The sea, all I can smell is the fish." I scoffed as I grip the bridge of my nose and began to look around the port for a good candidate.

I was quickly surprising by the large number of ships docked in the relatively small port of Beiling. I could count at least twenty seaworthy vessels of verifying size and nationality spread out across its length. And there were many smaller fishing boats floating about as well. However the only ship that interested had managed to catch my eye was a fairly large and most importantly unmarked cargo vessel. No identifying markings meant that it was privately owned. In my experience if a ship is cargo ship of this size is privately owned, it usually meant that it was involved in some kind of shady business practices. And of course the heavy-duty Fire Nation catapults lining the deck were a dead give away.

Having my target in sight I quickly mill my way through the crowd trying not to draw too much attention to myself until I'm directly in front of the cargo ship. Then I looked around to see if I could find any crew members nearby. Sure enough near the ships ramp stud a large dark skinned men with a long braided beard. The man was clearly of Water Tribe heritage which made sense. These barbarians were known for their affinity for the ocean after all. The water tribesmen was in the middle of barking orders at several other deckhands who were running up and down the ship's ramp carrying large sacks of what appeared to be rice onto the ship and off loading small unmarked crates that were being collected and loaded into the back of a cart by another group of men dressed in dark clothing.

Ignoring the others I quickly made my way towards the water tribesmen. Noticing me approaching the man's eyes narrowed and he called out to me. "Hey, who are you!?"

I took another long look at the ship and then glanced back at the water tribesmen. "Pardon me but would you happen to be the captain of this ship?" I ask a neutral tone.

The man stiffens slightly as if taken aback by the question and then gives me a long hard look. I could only image he was trying to figure out if I was a member of the authorities. "That depends on who's asking!?" He final said.

I allowed a small disarming smile to come to my face as a spoke. "I'm just a desperate women looking for work as a high risk trader."

The man's eyebrows lift up and he lets out a light chuckle. "Oh, is that right lass? Well then, why don't you tell me what use would I have for a scrawny girl like you huh?"

Maintaining my smile and my neutral I responded. "I assure you that I am more than capable of doing heavy lifting. And I am a bender."

The man's interest perked slightly though he still kept an air of skepticism in his voice. "Is that right? Well sorry lass but I already have two earthbenders and they aren't much use on the open sea. You got anything else for me?"

I allowed my smile to widen slightly in response to the question. "Pardon me but I don't recall ever saying that I was an earthbender. I am actually a firebender."

"A firebender you say?" The man asked as he took another long look at me. And he must have finally caught the golden glint in my eyes because looked away and scoffed. She's a half breed is what he must be thinking. "That is my mistake, sorry lass. A firebender would be useful but…" The man trailed off likely still not convinced that I would be able to pull my own weight.

Then I remembered something about commoners that could give me an edge. "My I add that I know mathematics?"

The water tribesmen's interest suddenly sky rocket. "Mathematics you say!? So does that mean you know how to use an abacus?" He asked.

I had to fight back the urge to scoff. It truly amazed me some times how uneducated commoners could be. "Of course, though I usually don't need one to do minor calculations. So are you interested?" I ask.

The man lets out a hearty chuckle. "It seems you're in luck lass. It just so happens that my last accountant thought it would be a good idea to take a little extra for himself. And the spirits must have decided to strike him down since he suffered an unfortunate accident the next day. You see he slipped and fell overboard into lionshark infested waters there was nothing we could do but watch. I trust you know better right lass?" His question was clearly posed as a threat but of course it didn't shake me.

Suddenly I could feel that women's presence around me and sure enough a voice rang out in my head. _**"Azula no, these people are dangerous! You shouldn't get involved with them!"**_ The specter cried.

I let out a tied sigh, my 'mother' had been so quite lately that I almost forgot about her. I guess I can't get rid of her just like that. Ignoring the specters words I responded. "Of course, I know better then to invoke the spirits wrath. So do I get the job?"

"Almost I just have one more question for. Do you have a name? I haven't caught it yet. Oh and I am Nunock by the way." He asked.

"It's a pleasure Nunock, my name is…" Suddenly my mind froze. I couldn't believe I could make such a miss step. I forgot to come up with back story for myself. I was usually so good at these things but I suppose I have been out of practice with trying to avoid other people at all costs and all. My eyes began to wonder unintentionally as if the answer to the question would appear in front of me. And then my eyes fell on the floating specter beside me. The being only I could see. Then I made my decision. "Ursa, my name is Ursa." I responded.

The water tribesmen gave me a small nod. If he realized my name was a fake he didn't call me out on it at least. "Well then Ursa, welcome to the crew."


	2. His Name was Zeke

**His Name was Zeke**

 **POV Azula**

After Captain Nunock and I had finished our introductions and he had welcomed me into his crew. Nunock had barked a few more commands at his deckhands in order to keep them busy while he led me to the boarding ramp beckoned me to follow him up it. "Come on Ursa, there is somebody you have to meet." He told me as lead the way up the ramp.

Upon reaching the top of the ramp my eyes widened as a looked over the deck. The ship was even larger than I thought it had been and to say that the ship was in immaculate condition would be an understatement. The wooden frame and rails were completely free of rot and gleamed like it they had been freshly mopped. The metal work was also in a similar condition with little to no dents or scratches and there wasn't a speck of rust to be seen. Also the design itself was quite sleek and ornate. _**"Oh my, it's such a lovely ship! And it's so clean too."**_ The specter chimed in and for once I had to agree with it, albeit begrudgingly.

"Nunock, is this ship new?" I asked out of curiosity.

Nunock glanced down at me when I addressed him and when he seen my wide eyed expression he let out a hearty chuckle. "Yes indeed, I see that you have good eyes lass. This ship was a recent acquisition from our business partners here in Beiling. We have only had her for a few moons now. Since she is still young and beautiful we try to be gentle with her but I fear it won't last forever. Our line of work is not kind to our vessels unfortunately." He explained.

Even with the obvious sexual innuendo thrown in there I couldn't help but agree with him. "Is that so? That really is a shame." And indeed it was, to think that such a lovely ship would one day wither and lose its beauty just like my mother had. Just like I will one day? Wait, what am I thinking about all of a sudden? I am still young this is utter nonsense! I reprimanded myself.

" _ **I agree Azule, it is utter nonsense! Women in our family age like fine wine, we will both be beautiful forever!"**_ The specter declared as it pulled a small hand mirror from her robes and began to inspect itself in the reflection. The ridiculousness of act caused me to roll my eyes. Then after a moment the specter began to straighten its hair as if anyone else could see her and then when it was satisfied it looked back down at me. _**"With that said dear, if you're so worried about getting older then perhaps its time for you to find a nice man to settled down with?"**_ She suggested in a slightly condescending tone.

I could feel my anger boiling over with every word that thing spoke. I just wanted to be rid of it, to watch it burn. However I knew I had to retain my composure, if I lost control now everything could be ruined. "Hey lass are you feeling well?" Nunock asked in a worried voice breaking me free from my internal struggle.

I realized that my expression had become twisted. I quickly returned it to its neutral position and put on the warmest fake smile I could manage. "Of course Captain, why wouldn't I be?"

Nunock began stare at me closely as if trying to read my eyes. "Well you were mumbling to yourself. And you seemed kind of down there for a moment. Now don't get me wrong. I have not interest in prying into your personal affairs but, if they start to interfere with your performance then that's a problem for both of us. As your new Captain it's my job to make sure my crew is in good condition before putting them to work. So if you want to talk, just let me know alright?" He told me in what seemed like a sincere tone before he placed his large hand on my shoulder in a comforting gesture. The latter of which caught me completely off guard. Such an act of familiarity would have cost the man his life only a few years ago. So now it was all I could do to keep myself from jerking away and lighting the offending limb on fire.

I took in a deep breath to calm myself down before responding. "There is no need for concern Captain, I will be fine. I'm just a bit tiered from my travels."

My explanation seemed to satisfy Nunock since he promptly gave me a wide smile. "Fatigue is it? I see, I see. Yeah now that I get a good look at you, you do look quite worn out. Don't worry though we will be sure to sort you out." He said as he gave me another pat on the shoulder.

Then the specter decided to chime in again. _**"Oh my, this man is surprisingly kind for a pirate isn't he?"**_ Then the specter broke away from my side and began circling around the water tribesman as though it was sizing him up. _ **"And now that I get a good look at him, he's quite hansom for one as well."**_ Be silent! I roared inwardly while using all my willpower to keep myself from vocalizing the words at the top of my lungs. _**"A bit too old for you though. Oh I know, ask if he has a son or perhaps even a younger brother!"**_ I said be silent! I repeated in my head.

I was once again broken out of my inner battle by the sound of Nunock's voice as well as a newer and much younger male voice. I refocused my gaze on Nonock who was locked in conversing with a younger water tribesman. Or at least I was fairly sure he was a water tribesman. There were a few oddities about his appears that made me unsure of his heritage. Firstly his skin tone was slightly lighter than most members of the water tribe and he was completely clean shaven. From personal experience with the barbarians they have always seemed to have an unexplainable affinity for their facial hair. So seeing one intentionally keeping their face lean was a rarity, though not unheard of. As for the rest of his hair it was also a bit of an oddity. The hair on his head was at a reasonable length reaching down to just past his shoulders. However the hair itself was a very dark shade of brown and was strangely straight and glossy for a member of the water tribe. Of course the most catching feature the young man had to offer was the gold gleam in his eyes. Is he a half breed? I wondered to myself until Nonock motioned me over to him. "Ursa, this is the man I wanted you to meet. This here is my first mate and only son Zeke." He stated happily.

" _ **Jackpot!"**_ The specter cheered. Shut up, you're working my last good nerve you wench! I screamed in my head.

The specter floats backward grasping at its mouth in shook. Then her face turns to one of anger. _**"Azula, how could you speak to your mother in such a vulgar manner!? I know you were raised better than that!"**_

The specters last comment finally sent me over the edge and we went into an arguing match that was just like the ones I use to have with Zuzu when we were children. Meanwhile my body operated in autopilot just like my it always did when I would have my little moments. I gave the young man before me a small smile and reached out my hand to shake his own. However I was pulled back out of my mind when he turned my hand over so my knuckles were pointed up and brought them up to his lips. "It is a pleasure to make your acutance Lady Ursa. My father has given me the details so I would just like to say welcome aboard. And that I will be looking forward to your company from now on."

I was stunned for a moment, unsure of what he had just done. Mind you such patronage wasn't unusual for Fire Nation royalty and nobility so it was a type of greeting I was long since accustomed to receiving. However it wasn't the type of greeting I would have expected to receive given my current state of affairs. And I most certainly wouldn't have expected it from a watersavage and a pirate at that. Due to the pure shock my mind went through from the simple gesture. Just for the slightest of moments, I completely I lost control of my face muscles causing my eyes to blink wildly while my mouth twitched out of my control. Realizing what I was doing I shook my head to clear it of unnecessary thoughts and quickly straighten myself. "The pleasure is mine Mister Zeke." I responded as if nothing had happened.

Nunock and Zeke share a confused glance before Nunock cleared his throat and begun to speak. "Well then Ursa, I have more work to do on the dock so I will be leaving you here with my son. He will show you around the ship and tell you everything else you will need to know to perform your duties." He told me. And when I gave him an affirmative he turned back towards his son to address him. "Well then she's in your hands now Zeke, I trust that you will play nice?" He asked in a half serious tone.

"Of course father, gees if you say like that you will give the girl strange ideas." Zeke responded causing his father and him to share a short laugh before Nunock turned towards the ramp and quickly began descended it.

" _ **I think you may have scared him off honey."**_ The specter chimed in. And whose fault do you think that is!? Why won't you just be silent and leave me be!? I thought causing the specter to roll her eyes and cross her arms over her chest. _**"Fine, I see I'm not welcome."**_ The specter pouted before it dissipated, finally allowing some peace and quite.

Zeke and I watched Nunock descend the ramp until he was completely out of sight and then Zeke turned back towards me and clasped his hands together. "Well then, how about we start that tour?" He asked in a warm and cheerful manner.

"Very well, lead the way?" I ask.

Zeke quickly led me over to a wooden door at the far end of the deck and pulled it open to reveal a set of stairs leading down into the depths of the ship. At the bottom of the stairs was the main cargo hold which as I would expect was filled to the brim with exotic and shady merchandise. "This is where we keep the goods. We have a lot of interesting stuff in here. We have a little bit of everything in here, including but not limited to rare animals, ancient artifacts, fine clothing, and modern weaponry."

One item catches my ear and I latch onto it. "Did you say you have fine clothing? I am in desperate need of a new wardrobe." I say while motioning to may raggedy Earth Nation dress.

Zeke looks down at the dress and hums like it's the first time he noticed. "Well we certainly can't let you work in those rags. Unfortunately we only gowns and long dresses in here. None of which are well suited for our job. We have a lot of extra clothing for the crewmembers but nothing made for woman." He tells me.

"Is there any other options? Otherwise I don't mind wearing men's clothing." I inform him.

"No, that just won't do for a fine lady such as self!" He declares. And normally I would agree with him but anything would be better than what I was currently wearing. Before I could launch a complaint he placed a hand on his chin in a thinking position. After a moment he pulled his hand away and snapped his fingers before looking back at me with a grin. "Oh, I know what we can do! Come with me!" He announced before grabbing onto my wrist and forcefully pulling me along to the other end of the cargo hold. At that moment I couldn't help but wonder if all pirates had difficulty keeping their hands to themselves or if it was just this family. Either way I made a mental note not to let my guard down around them or the rest of the crew from now on.

After that he led me down another set of stairs into a slightly more confined space lined with cots on two sides and filled with the unmistakable smell of rum and body odor. I quickly grip the bridge of my nose. "What is this place and why are we down here?" I ask while trying in vain to keep the annoyance out of my voice.

Seeing my reaction caused him to break into a hearty laugh. When he finally finished he wiped a tear from his eye finally answered me. "This is where most of the crew sleeps when we're out at sea." He explained.

" _ **Wait, he can't possibly intend for my daughter to sleep in such conditions! This is completely unacceptable!"**_ And just like that the specter was back.

Noticing that my grimace was intensifying he cleared his throat to get my attention. "Don't worry I wouldn't ask a lady to sleep here." He assured me before motioning towards the other side of the room where another wooden door was located. "Come on we are going this way." Not wanting to complain about leaving this horrid room behind I quickly marched along with him until we pushed our way through the door into a small hallway lined with two doors on each side and single much more ornate door on the other end.

"Are these bedrooms?" I ask and he promptly gives me a nod. "I see, and who do they belong to?"

"The first one on the left is belongs to our head chef, Chef Lee. He can cook up a mean stew and is the only other firebender we got right now and has been looking for more help in the kitchen. We figured while you weren't busy doing your own work you could give him a hand." He explained.

"That's fine and all but just so you know I don't have any cooking experience." I warned.

"Oh I wouldn't worry about that, Chef Lee is a great teacher so he will have you baking with the best of them in no time." He responded which peeked the specters interest.

" _ **That sounds like a wonderful idea! You may be royalty but a proper lady must be able to cook for their family."**_

Ignoring my 'mothers' input I focus on Zeke as he motions to the door across the hall from Chef Lee's room. "Anyway we can talk more about later. That room over there is empty. Right now we are just using it as a guest room for well paying travelers."

"Will that room be mine?" I asked.

"I can be if you wish but we do have another option for you." He told me as he led me over to the second room on the left side and pulled out an iron key to unlock it. Then he pushed the door open to reveal a small but well furnished and tastefully decorated room. There was comfortable looking bed pushed into the far right corner of the room and small wooden desk pushed up against the wall beside it. And on the far left hand side of the room was a curtained off area. "This room belonged to the former accountant before their… accident. Since you will be taking over their job and this room is available I figured it would make the most sense for you to have it."

" _ **Well this room is umm, nice I suppose."**_ The specter said in a disinterested tone.

And admittedly the room was far impressive than the ones available in the royal palace but, it would serve quite nicely. "This is wonderful, I will take it. Just one question though, what is that curtain for?" I ask while pointing to the left side of the room.

Zeke looks over to where I'm pointing. "Oh, the last accountant had a bath tub put in. You will have to heat and replace the water yourself but otherwise it's fully functional."

"Did you say a bath?!" I practically shouted the question. As tiered as I was, the prospect of a real bath sounded far more appealing then sleeping. For the last few weeks, the closest things to a real bath I've had were in small ponds and rivers I came across along the way.

"That's right, I'm guessing you could go for one than?" Zeke asks me.

I nod my head. "Yes, however it will serve little purpose if I change back into this." I say looking down at my still raggedy clothing.

Then Zeke gives me a wide smile and turns towards the door across from mine. "Be right back." He says before he pulls out his set of keys again to unlock the door and after fiddling with the lock for a moment the door creeks open and he steps inside. I just stud silently in the hallway listening to the sound of what I image was Zeke opening up a wooden chest and rummaging through it. "Maybe this, no that won't work. Oh, this and this should work. Alright that should be enough." I heard him say before he stepped back out into the hallway holding a bundle of women's clothing in his hands. "Here, these should do nicely." He said as he extended the pile towards me.

"Thanks but umm Zeke, whose room was that?" I asked as I accepted the clothing.

"Oh, that's my room." He responded.

"Right and why do you have women's clothing in your room?" I ask while raising an eyebrow.

Realizing what I was implying Zeke's hands shot up in front of him waving dismissively. "Not for the reasons you're thinking of I assure you!"

"Then why do you have these?" I asked again.

Zeke cleared his throat before responding this time. "Umm well, those cloths belonged to my mother. I remember her being about your size so I thought they would be perfect for you." He explained.

"These are your mother's cloths?" I inquired before glancing down at the pile of cloths in my hands. They were all in the Fire Nations reds and blacks. Then I looked back up into Zeke's golden eyes. "Your mother was from the Fire Nation wasn't she?" I asked.

"That's right, she was." Zeke responded in a slightly less cheerful tone.

"You keep using past tense. Is your mother umm, you know?" I asked while trying not to strike any nerves.

Zeke let out a long sigh before responding. "If you're asking weather she's dead or not, I couldn't tell you. She up and disappeared a few years ago. Dad tells me she ran off with another man or something like that but regardless I haven't seen her since."

" _ **How irresponsible, how any mother could just run off and abandon their child like that is beyond me!"**_ The specter berated. How indeed, that was all I could think before I felt a wave of anger and frustration over take my senses.

"Do you hate her?" I asked in a dark tone.

Zeke seems surprised by the question but doesn't hesitate to answer. "No, not really." He responded before taking in a deep breath. "I just wish I knew why she left." He responded in a neutral tone.

"I see."

A long moment of awkward silence followed until Zeke finally spoke up. "Whelp I guess I will leave you to it then." Zeke said as he took the key to my room off of his ring and placed it on top of the pile of cloths I was holding. "That's your room key you can use it to lock the door form the inside. You won't want anyone to walk in while your indisposed now would you? I need to go ask my father about a few things I will be up on deck if you need me." He told me before walking off.


	3. We were Pirates Part 1

**Notes: Hello everybody and welcome to the third installment of My Name is Ursa. And may I just say I am having have a lot of fun writing this story. Just something about the back and forth between Azula and 'Ursa' is very comical in a dark kind of way. And it really hits the sweet spot for me.**

 **Of course I love all my works, I just enjoy writing dialog the most and this story gives me a lot of chances to do that.**

 **There is still a bit more building up to do but you can expect some action in the next chapter so look forward to that. And don't forget to follow, favorite, and most of all review.**

* * *

 **We were Pirates Part 1**

The bath was absolutely wonderful. It was easily one of the best baths I have taken in my whole life. Mind you I wasn't completely sure why I felt this way exactly but, some how I just knew it to be true. Sure fetching clean water and bringing it to a boil made it more work than I was use to, the bath itself was quite a bit smaller than the ones back home, and the rooms previous owner didn't seem to share my interest in scented candles. However it was still a wonderful bath. Perhaps it was because of how long I had gone without or maybe it was just because 'mother' finally decided not to bother me for once. Recently she had made a habit of pestering me whenever I bathed outdoors. She was always saying something about it being barbaric or filthy or some such. And I would normally be inclined to agree with her but, as they say, desperate times call for desperate measures.

Once I felt completely satisfied I let out a sigh of relief before lifting myself up and stepping out of the bath onto the hardwood flooring of my room. Then once I was out of the bath I took a short look around the small area that existed behind the dividing curtain that had been serving as a make-shift bathroom. When I did I couldn't help but let out a groan of disappointment because that's when I made a grim realization. It would seem that scented candles weren't the only thing the previous owner had a lack of. "Not even a single towel, are you serious?!" I hissed in frustration. "Oh well, I guess I will just have to do this the hard way. My hair is going to hate me for this." I complained before I straightened my self out into a basic firebending pose with my knees bent and my arms flat at my sides and bent up at the elbows. Then I took in a deep breath and began to focus my Chi. A moment later I released the breath and my body temperature began to rapidly rise until the water droplets on my skin hissed and began to evaporate into little buffs of steam.

With that chore complete I drop out of my stance and begin running my hands through my hair to make sure it didn't frizz up. "Being a firebender really is the best. I can't help but wonder how the other benders even get by some times." I declared while doing so. Then I let out another sigh. "Then again I suppose I could've done the same thing with water bending. Quite the flexible element isn't it?" I ask myself which causes less than pleasant memories to surface. They were memories of the Avatar's water wench and mostly of our battle during the return of Sozin's Comet. I quickly shook my mind clear of those memories. They were the last thing I need to think about right now. So I just focused on fixing my hair.

Once I had that little annoyance settled I reach over and pulled open the curtain before and making my way into the rest of my bedroom/office. The goal was my new set of clothing which I had left folded neatly on top of my bed to avoid getting them wet. While I was approaching the bed I notice the air around it begin to distort until an all too familiar figure materialized sitting at my bedside and it smile up at me as I came near. _**"Hello dear, did you enjoy your bath?"**_ My 'mother' asked in an irking amount cheer in her tone.

"It was passable." I responded dryly. It was then that I remembered just how tiered I was. The bath did do a good job of waking me up but after seeing that 'thing' again, it made my fatigue come flying right back to me and it was heavier than ever. So instead of taking the time to slip into my new clothes I simply set them aside and slipped my still naked form under the covers of my bed.

When I did the specter looked down at me with a shocked expression and spoke in an equally flabbergasted tone. _**"Azula honey, what are you doing?!"**_

"Sleeping, I'm tiered, is that a problem?" I retorted sleepily.

" _ **If you're trying to sleep like that, you better believe it is young lady! If you don't put something on you are likely to catch a cold!"**_ The specter reprimanded.

I couldn't help but scoff before responding. "I'm a firebender you know, I don't catch colds."

My words didn't seem to deter the specter however. _**"It's not decent! You need to learn some modesty! What if somebody comes in here!? You should at least put on a nightgown!"**_ It countered.

I allowed a dry chuckle to escape my lips before responding. "It's not decent it says? This is my room is it not? As long as I'm here I should be allowed to be as naked as the day I was born if I so choose. Besides the doors locked and I have the key and even if there was a copy, I'm more than capable of protecting myself. Lastly there's no nightgowns here, at least none made for women anyway. And there's no since in putting on my new clothes just to sleep in them. So to answer your earlier question I'm sleeping in the buff tonight and that's that."

" _ **Fine you can suit yourself then but don't say your mother didn't warn you!"**_ The specter roared before letting out a frustrated huff and once again disappearing into void from which she came.

"Noted, now be a dear and don't come back will you." I said while looking into the empty space where the specter had once been. When all I heard in response was silence I let out a sigh of relief. "Finally, I can get some real rest." I huffed out before I plopped my head down onto my pillow and close my eyes. And before I knew it sleep had finally come to claim me. And for once my nightmares offered no resistance.

* * *

*Knock* *Knock* *Knock*

I was awoken from my dreamless sleep some time later by the repeated sound of knocking at my door. The moment I became self aware I let out a groggy groan before I pulled myself up out from under the sheets. "What time is it? For that matter where am I?" I asked sleepily while rubbing the sand from my eyes. Once my eyes were clear I began looking around the dark unfamiliar space in search of answers to these questions. After taking in most of the room my memories began to click back in place. "Oh yeah that's right, I joined a pirate crew yesterday didn't I?" I asked myself before I looked behind me at the windows lining the back side of my room. The sun had already set which meant it was either late in the evening or early morning, I couldn't quite tell which.

Knock* *Knock* *Knock*

I was broken out of my thoughts by another series of knocks. Only this time they were slightly louder and were followed by the sound of a familiar voice. "Hello, Ursa are you in there? It's me Zeke."

I quickly shook the grogginess from my head and adopted a slightly annoyed tone. "Yes, I am and I was sleeping. Is there something I can help you with Zeke?"

"My apologies for waking you Ursa but there's something we need to discuss. Can I have a moment?" He asked seemingly unaffected by my aggressive tone.

I let out a small sigh before I dragged myself out of bed and when I planted my bare feet on the wooden floor boards I felt a shiver run up my spine. That's when I glanced down and realized that the rest of my body was also still quite bare. "Oh, for spirits sake!" I grumbled before looking down at the still folded pile of clothing at the foot of my bed. "Screw it!" I declare as reach over to the bed and yanked off one of the sheets to rap around myself before making my way over to the door and grabbing the key along the way. Once I reach the door I promptly unlocked it and held the door in front of my body while I poked my head out into the hallway. And sure enough Zeke was standing in front of my door waiting for me. "So, what do you want?" I asked dryly.

Zeke opened his mouth like he was about to respond when his eyes widened and his jaw clamped shut again. Even though he couldn't see my whole form with the door between us, he must have noticed how bare my shoulders were and I imagine the odd posture I had to take in order to keep most of my body out of view must have tipped him off. Much to my surprise and amusement I notice that his dark complexion had changed to become several shades redder. Even if for a moment before he cleared his throat and finally responded to my question. "Did I catch you at bad time?" He asked. And by the way I have never been a fan of people asking questions they already knew the answer to, it just seemed rude. So if you were to ask me it was by far one of the dumbest questions I've heard.

However it would seem like he was well aware of just how dumb his question was if his slight grimace was any indicating. So I figured I would try to have a little fun with it. So I put most wicked grin and the most seductive voice I could manage given how tiered I still very much was and let him have it. "Well that depends on what you consider bad timing. It would seem that you've caught me at a rather vulnerable moment. From my understanding there are many men out there who would consider this a golden opportunity." My words were almost challenging in their delivery.

In response to my words Zeke's face turned few more shades redder and he had to once again clear his throat before trying to speak. "Well I umm, well, I guess it's a good thing that I'm such a gentlemen then isn't it?" He retorted in a slightly shaky voice.

I had to try my best to stifle a laugh after hearing his awkward response. "Are you now? Well I guess that's good to know. So what did you want Zeke?"

"Oh, right father, I mean the captain wanted to have a word with the two of us. So I just figured I would fetch you for him. And it's a good thing I did too. I don't know if my father's heart could handle your breed of humor." He said jokingly while crossing his arms over his chest.

"Good indeed." I retorted before I felt a laugh escape my mouth, the first earnest one I could remember having in quite some time. Before I couldn't even think to stifle it I was joined by Zeke and decided to just let it to run its course. Then once both of us had settled down I tried to bring the conversation back on track. After all the sooner I got whatever this was over with the sooner I could get back to bed. "So what does your father wish to discus with me and why can't it wait till morning?" I asked in a slightly more demanding tone then I had intended.

"Its work related. We just got a new job from our business partners and given its nature he figured it best to let you know about sooner rather than later." Zeke explains with a shrug.

"Very well, give me a moment to make myself presentable." I responded with a sigh before pulling the door shut and returning to my bedside to fetch my clothing.

"I will be here." Zeke announced from behind the door.

Not wanting to waste anymore time I quickly slipped on the surprisingly well fitting clothes. He really wasn't kidding when he said his mother and I were about the same size. If it weren't for the fact that the sleeves were slightly too long and that the chest was a bit more roomy than I would've ever emitted to anyone I would have just assumed that these clothes were made for me from the beginning. Of course not wanting these small imperfections to hinder me in any way, I tried to recall a few of the tips that I had once over heard from my handmaidens many years ago. Once I had recalled what I needed I quickly loosened the sash of my robe and gave it few good togs to do away with the extra space in my chest before retightening the sash to hold them in place. Then I rolled up and tied off the sleeves to keep them out of the way.

Now that I was satisfied with that, I returned to the door and pulled it open so I could exit into the hallway to meet Zeke. Who sure enough was right where I had left him and he gives me a curt nod in greeting. "So how do I look?" I asked him while motioning to me clothing.

Zeke took a step back and looked me up and down for a moment in an appraising fashion. "You look great, I'm glad mom's old stuff is good for something." He responded.

"Thank you," I began before freezing up. There was something about what he said that was nagging at me. And I think its been nagging at me for awhile now even before he said anything but it took me until this moment to finally realize what it was. There was one phrase from his sentence that had caught in my head 'mom's old stuff'. I quickly took another good long look at myself and sure enough these clothes were dated. They were certainly high class and were likely very expensive about ten or so years ago but now they would just look out of place back home. I couldn't help but feel a sense of apprehension about wearing something so out of style. I was still technically a teenager after all. Of course beggars can't be choosers and I was perfectly content to wear rags just yesterday so I had to just be over thinking things right?

Before I could think on the matter further I felt that oh so familiar presence make itself known. _**"Oh dear, of course your just over thinking this. I mean you look positively lovely! I will have you know that I wore something just like that back when I was your age and I was quite popular."**_ The specter chimed in.

Then with that I was certain that these were too old for me. I had to actively fight the urge to rip them from my body right then and there. And my sudden uneasy didn't go unnoticed. "Is something wrong with the clothes Ursa?" Zeke asked me.

The sound of his voice quickly snapped me back into the present. "Umm, I was just thinking these were a bit out of style. If my friends back home caught me walking around in this I don't think I'd ever hear the end of it." I stated while trying to maintain a mirthful tone.

In response Zeke gave me a warm chuckle and wide grin. "I wouldn't worry about that sort of thing around here lass. This bunch isn't what you would call well informed when it comes to the Fire Nation fashion scene or really any fashion scene for that matter. I mean we're talking about full grown men who think loop earrings are an expectable accessory to wear."

"I suppose you've got me there." I declared with a shrug. I felt another laugh coming on but managed to keep it at bay this time. I will give Zeke one thing, his sense of hummer was far more bearable than most of the company I had kept in the past. For example there was Uncle and Ty Lee, they would never stop trying to be funny and much to my displeasure they rarely succeeded. As for Father, Zuzu, and Mai, well when it came to a sense of hummer it was really more of the lack there of that was the problem. And as for Mother, I don't know if I've ever even seen her tell a joke.

" _ **Hey I can tell jokes! What did the hotmen say to the other hotmen?"**_ The specter asked. Nope. _**"Oh, come on dear it's a good one."**_ Nope. _**"Please honey?"**_ The specter pleaded. Fine. _**"Maybe we should go stand in the shade!"**_ The specter shouted gleefully before breaking into a laugh. I can say with confidence that, that joke was not funny and felt the urge explain in detail while it was not funny. However I realized that, that was likely the reason why that joke was chosen.

"So, ready to do this?" Zeke asked in a nonchalant manner.

I pushed the specter out of my mind and took one more look down at myself to make sure everything was in order. Once I was satisfied I gave him a curt nod. "I'm all set, let's get this over with." I responded.

With that he waved me towards the end of the hallway and the slightly larger and far more ornate door that rests there. "He is in his room." Zeke announces.

"I'm guessing that's his room at the end of the hall?" I ask and Zeke just nods in agreement. "And he couldn't be bothered to come get me himself?"

"Ah well I had something to speak with him about before this. And since I was already here, I figured I may as well take care of it." Zeke explained.

"I see." Is all could manage before we reached the captains chamber.

When we did Zeke promptly gave the door a few light knocks and announced our presences. "Father, I have retrieved Ursa."

A moment later and Nunock's voice came echoing from the other side of the door. "Come in." He told us so Zeke reach out and pushed the door open revealing a room that was nearly twice the size of then I was given and farm more furnished and decorated. The room was located on the tail end of the ship and had a set of three large circler widows that were currently over looking the sea. In the center of the room stud a large wooden desk that was likely made of mahogany and sat the desk was Nunock himself. Nunock looked up at me as I entered the room and for a moment he looked pale almost like he'd seen a ghost. Then he shot a glare back at his son. "Zeke, are those what I think they are?" He asked in a stern tone.

Zeke took on a slightly worried expression before glancing over to me and back to his father. "Oh yeah, sorry I forgot to mention I let her borrow some of moms stuff. We really didn't have anything else so I just figured." He explained while rubbing the back of his neck nervously.

In response Nunock let out a long sigh. "Its fine I suppose, better than them just gathering dust. Now why don't you two have a seat?" He suggested while motioning to a set of chairs in front of his desk. The two of us promptly took our seats and after a moment Nunock looked over at me and spoke again. "So Ursa has Zeke told you anything about why I asked you to come here tonight?"

I shook my head before replying. "Not really, all he said was that you got some new job from your business partners and I should know about it."

Nunock gave me a nod. "That's the short version at least. As for the long version well things get a bit complicated." He began before planting both his elbows on his desk and lacing his fingers together. When he began to speak again the tone was much more serious. "As I'm sure you're aware as pirates we deal with some less than reputable clients. And every now and then we have to get our hands a bit dirty if we want to stay in business." He explained.

I raised an eyebrow at him. Not because I wasn't following but because I found it odd that he was dancing around the subject. "This new job, will it require us to get our hands dirty?" I inquire with a neutral tone.

Nunock nodded in agreement. "Quite, you see one of our partners major rivals will be sending out a huge shipment tomorrow. They will be traveling from Gaoling to Fire Nation Capital. Our job is to make sure it never makes it there." He elaborated.

"So it's a raid then? So what is it that you want from me?" I inquired.

"Well lass that's what were here to figure out." Nunock responds. "You see this is the most dangerous part of the job and you haven't even had your first real day yet. We thought it only fair to give you forewarning before dragging you along. None of us will blame you if you want to jump ship right now and find yourself something else. And of course if you do decide to come along we won't force you to join in on the attack itself."

I felt a smile tugging at the corners of my lips as I responded. "That is quite kind of you but you needn't worry about me I can handle myself. My only question is will I get paid extra for assisting in the attack?"

In response to my words Nunock and Zeke shared a surprised look before Nunock let out a chuckle and began to speak again. "Zeke my boy I think I like this one!" He cheered before turning back to me. "The answer to your question is yes by the way."

"Then I'm in."


	4. We Were Pirates Part 2

**Notes: Alright, I know this chapter has been very delayed. And its rather short as well. I had planned to do more but figured I would just put it out and see how things go. I personally do like this story but response has been fairly flat. I don't have much time to write in general and since I have a lot of projects I've been spread rather thinly. If you want this work to continue please let me know. Otherwise I think I will put this one on hold until I have more time.**

* * *

 **We Were Pirates Part 2**

 **Azula POV**

It's been a few days now, hasn't it? Since I had joined up with these strange pirates I mean.

Not that such a thing matters of course. It's just that I have been feeling restless ever since I had agreed to assist them in their little raid at sea. Don't miss understand, it isn't because of any fear or nervousness of what's to come but rather because of shear lack of things to do in the mean time.

I don't really know what I was expecting when I decided to become a pirate but I assumed that the pirate lifestyle would be, hmm well a little more interesting. Then again I suppose the accountant for a pirate crew lives a slightly different lifestyle. The condition of my living quarters was proof enough of that. With that said the responsibilities of my station which mostly just include taking inventory of the loot, keeping track of our earnings from said loot, and distributing said earnings among the crew, are tasks that are so simple that even a child could have handled them with relative easy. So it boggles my mind how the last accountant could have managed to screw this job up so badly. His loss is my gain I suppose.

Hopefully this monotony will easy up once Chef Lee, the man I was meant to learn cooking from returns to the ship. He isn't here now since he had elected to remain in port during this mission. I did inquire as to his reasons but was just told that he had his reasons. His reasons matter not though since his absence has left me with little else to due besides meditate. Normally I would train my firebending at times like these but doing so had its share of difficulties. These were largely due to the fact that our vessel was made of mostly wood and relied on sails to carry it across the seas. As anyone could imagine, firebending was a bit too risky to use when everything around you was both flammable and the only thing keeping you from drowning. So meditation it was.

As I started my latest session I could feel the morning sun just barely peeking over the vast blue horizon of the open ocean into my cabin. I was sat in the lotus position with and had set out a single candle before me its tiny flame flickered brightly in dimness of my room. With every breath I took I could feel the flame dance in response, just like the push and pull of the tides crashing against the sides of the ship.

Moments like this were, how should I say? Nice, I suppose. They were one of my few solaces since I lost my crown. They were an anchor which held me in place but at the same time gave me freedom. They helped remind me that despite how much I have lost and how dark everything had become that the Sun would always rise and that the Sun was still my ally.

Even with how early it currently was, I could already feel the Sun's energy pouring into me and granting my body its strength and my mind a rare sense of clarity. Yes, the sun was the one ally that had never abandoned her. Not even when my mother left me, or when Mai and Ty Lee betrayed me, or when father left me behind, or even when my brother locked me away in that accursed institution. "No, stay focused!" I lectured myself as I shook away those thoughts. Mornings like this were the only times when I truly felt like myself again and I shouldn't spoil them with such thoughts. I took another deep breath and allowed my mind to become blank. After a few minutes I once again felt like I was back home and that mother was far away where she belongs.

Unfortunately these moments of peace are always fleeting and this one was no exception. It was at that moment that my session was interrupted by somebody knocking on the door to my cabin. It seemed that our objective was nearing and a deck hand had come to collect me. I promptly readied my self and followed them up to the deck where Zeke, Nunock, and the rest of the crew were waiting for me. When I stepped out I instantly spotted Zeke and his father standing at the bow of the ship gazing out over the ocean. As I began to approach them Zeke noticed my presence and turned to give me a curt nod. "Morning Urza, I hope we didn't interrupt your beauty sleep again." He said jokingly causing a few other members of the crew to chuckle.

I rolled my eyes at that. "Hardly, firebenders rise with the Sun. I have already been awake for nearly an hour now. With that said, I don't like being bothered without reason and I especially don't appreciate being lied to." I declared as I directed a sharp glare on Zeke.

Zeke's brow arched up and an unreadable expression came over his face. "Whatever do you mean?"

"I was told my presence was necessary because we were closing in on our quarry. However," I stated as I motioned toward the horizon on each side of our ship. "All I see is open-ocean, and not so much as a piece of drift wood or smoke plum to suggest otherwise. So tell me, where is this mythical ship?"

Zeke put on a small smiled as he spoke. "I'm glad you asked, look there." He told me as he turned and directed my gaze out over the horizon toward the rising sun. At first due to the suns glare I couldn't see anything but after a moment my eyes adjusted. And soon I was able to follow his direction to a small dot on the edge of the horizon. The object was hovering in the sky in the distance and seemed to be moving. I couldn't quite tell what it was at this distance but I could at least make out the flapping motions of wings and discern that it was some sort bird and that it was flying towards us at an impressive speed.

The crew watched the winged creature approach with varied levels of interest. It was clear that they were expecting its appearance and that it had some importance. With that realization I decided to wait patiently until the moment the creature was directly above the deck. If its arrival had gone unnoticed by anyone on the deck, their ignorance didn't last long. The creature let its presences be known by releasing horrid squawking sound that was so high pitched, I would wager it could break glass. Then if that wasn't enough the noisy bird quickly followed that up by folding its wings and diving straight down toward bow of the deck where we stood.

I was so caught off guard by the abruptness of the creature's actions that I was half tempted to blow it out of sky. My body was far ahead of me however since before I could think, I had already moved into defensive stance and I felt electricity dancing across my fingers. As the bird drew in closer, it spread out its wings to slow its decent and reached out its talons as if to pluck Zeke right off the ship and fly off with him.

The energy wanted so badly to be released but I quelled it when I heard a voice jab me in back of my head like a knife. **_"Calm yourself dear, it's just a messenger hawk."_** I instantly realizing who or rather what the voice belonged to and I let out a quite moan of annoyance before easing out of my stance.

At this point the creature was already upon Zeke with its sharp talons reaching out towards him. Zeke made no effort to avoid it however. Instead he held up one of his hands to meet the bird and it latched onto his arm. Once attached the hawk flapped its wings a few more times to steady itself before it folded them over and relaxed into its new perch.

"Hey there buddy, did you spot them?" Zeke spoke to the bird as if greeting a friend. The bird squawked twice in response and Zeke nodded and hummed as if he understood what the bird was saying.

"I would just hate to interrupt this, whatever this is but, would anyone like to tell me what is going on here?!" I hissed before pointing at the bird. "Why is there a Fire Nation messenger hawk here?!" I demanded while making no effort to hide the annoyance I was feeling.

Zeke and Nunock turned towards me and let out a set of nervous chuckles. Then Zeke cleared his throat before responding. "Oh right, how rude of me! Ursa, this is Zhao." He stated while pointing to the bird.

"I didn't ask for the bird's name! I wanted to know, wait a minute. Did you just say that the bird's name is Zhao?" I asked suddenly feeling confused.

"That's right, I named him myself. Isn't that right buddy?" Zeke said proudly as he scratched below the birds chin causing it to squawk at him.

"Why in the name of Agni would you name the bird Zhao?" In general Zhao was normally a name given to humans. And though it was a common name in the Fire Nation, it was very rare outside of it. And despite the fact that it was considered a common name, I had only ever known of one Zhao.

The now deceased, Admiral Zhao, the same one who had led the failed invasion of the North Pool. Though I suppose Nunock is of northern decent so he might know of him. As I looked over the hawk an image of the Admiral popped into my head and I tried to draw comparisons between the two.

 ** _"I never cared for Zhao. That man was almost as cruel as your father and just as arrogant."_** The specter chimed in coldly. **_"And he was so painful to look at too. Those sideburns still make me sick to my stomach."_**

"As much as I agree with you, would you please be quite I'm trying to think!" I hissed quietly while focusing on the hawk. As you would expect from an animal raised in the Fire Nation its eyes were sharp and proud but that told me little. What did catch my eye however, was the plumage on the side of its head. The way the fathers trailed down the length of its face and spread out horizontally made recall what the specter had said. The fathers were almost just like sideburns. "I got it! You named him Zhao because of those fathers!" I declared while pointing to the plumage in question.

Nunock gave each other an odd look before Zeke responded. "Hmm, that's not quite it. I heard that Zhao was a fairly common name in the Fire Nation and since my buddy here is from the Fire Nation originally I figured it would work. Besides he has really sharp talons giving the name a nice double meaning. Why would you think it's because of the fathers? Is that a Fire Nation thing?"

"Oh, ah sort of, well not really I suppose." Zeke raised an eyebrow in confusion.

 ** _"You're rambling dear."_** The specter warned.

"Never mind, it's nothing." I said flatly, suddenly feeling slightly foolish.

Still though, something about that bird did remind me of the late Admiral. Perhaps it was just my mind playing tricks on me again but say it wasn't. I have heard, mostly from my uncle. That the spirits while normally harmless could be quite vindictive when they are wronged. And for those who have angered them, the spirits would always find a way to make them pay the price. If the crime is grave enough that person may even half to pay for it in their next life.

One such punishment the spirits seemed to favor is forcing their victim to reincarnate as a lower life-form. So with that in mind, I couldn't help but wonder if this bird really was Zhao, just trapped in the body of a hawk to pay for the crime of slaying the Moon Spirit. As I pondered this possibility, almost as if reading my mind, the hawk seemed to finally take notice me. Its eyes looked over me sharply and inquisitively.

"Anyway, as you now know this is my pet Zhao. We found a whole flock of them on board a Fire Nation ship we had raided a few years back. It seemed that there were a lot of people who would pay good money for a trained messenger hawk back then, so we sold off most of them. However Zhao here took a bit of a liking too me, so I chose to hold onto him and we have been partners ever since." Zeke explained and the Hawk squawked in what seemed like agreement.

"My son has always had a way with animals, which is a nice skill to have handy when one of our exotic finds gets loose on board the ship." Nunock added with a hearty chuckle.

"I see, so what're we using this bird for?" I asked, eager to move on.

"Ah, right!" Zeke then motioned toward the horizon where Zhao had come from. "Zhao is trained to scout ahead for us. And it would seem that he's found the ship that we're looking for. And now he's going to lead us right too them."

/

 **POV Zeke**

Even with Zhao's help it took us nearly two hours to catch up to our target. Just as we expected, there was a lone Earth Kingdom cargo ship ahead of us and heading due west. I lowered my spyglass and took a step back from the bow of the ship to address my crew. "That's them boys! I want all hands to battle stations! Prepare to go dark!"

With that my crew began to scramble across the deck to get into position. And that's when Ursa stepped up to speak to me. "That ship is barely visible, how do you even know that it's the right one?" She asked me.

Man, this girl really likes to ask a lot of questions. Heck, I at this point I think she's just asking questions to spite me. If she were any other deck hand I would've set her straight by now but, she has had a lot of fair points. And I didn't see the harm in indulging her. "Here take this." I said as I put on the most friendly smile I could manage and stepped forward to hand Ursa the spyglass.

She seemed reluctant to take it for a moment but she seemed to get over it fairly quickly as she snatched the spyglass from my hand. With that I directed her attention back towards the ship on the horizon. "Look closely at that ship, you can just make out a crest of a crest on the sail right? That's how we know we got the right one." I explained.

Ursa nodded as she looked through the spyglass. "Hmm that crest, it feels like I've seen it some place before." Ursa stated.

I gave her a nod. "That's not surprising, that crest is fairly well known in these parts. It belongs to our partner's biggest business rival."

"So what family does it belong too?" She asked.

"The house of the flying boar, the Bei Fong family."


End file.
